So I've doubled my facebook fans this week...how have I done this??? I asked a friend to suggest the page to their friends!
This is a great idea as the people who like my fanpage might have other friends who like my fanpage and so on and so forth. I plan to ask a couple more friends to do this too.
I'm trying to push the PR at the minute and also did a huge postcard drop in the city centre today.
Fingers crossed it increases sales!
Friday, 21 May 2010
Friday, 15 January 2010
Free Business Course and advice for Women
I was told about this company yesterday and so far have only registered with them, I havent checked out the course yet but the idea is fabulous!
If you're interested in becoming self employed (and are female) check out this site: http://www.train2000.org.uk/
There is an online learning facility for a business course so you can learn in your own time - this is great if you are still working full time while you set up your business.
The course is broken down into different modules: Business Direction, Market Research, Marketing, Financial Planning and Legal Requirements.
There are other courses available too, if you live in liverpool or greater manchester, and business advice should you need it.
check out the site for further info!
If you're interested in becoming self employed (and are female) check out this site: http://www.train2000.org.uk/
There is an online learning facility for a business course so you can learn in your own time - this is great if you are still working full time while you set up your business.
The course is broken down into different modules: Business Direction, Market Research, Marketing, Financial Planning and Legal Requirements.
There are other courses available too, if you live in liverpool or greater manchester, and business advice should you need it.
check out the site for further info!
Monday, 11 January 2010
Storing my life
My Boyfriend and I have decided to move in together - this is great of course but poses a potential problem. The problem is my art and craft equipment and material take over my living room. I have a rather large living room at the moment and we're moving to a small apartment in the city, this combined with merging his and my furniture together will leave very little room for 'stuff'.
So to help combat this and to be fair, to also help with the actual moving, I have bought some storage boxes. Places like Ikea and Wilkinsons do some great cheap ones but I got some of mine from Dunelm. I chose to get nice co-ordinating ones and stuffed them full of my sewing gear which was prior to this, in plastic bags in one corner of the room.
I already had some storage boxes for my paints - plastic ones as sometimes the lids come off the paints and make a real mess.
Tip: have a sort out of your storage boxes every few months. Throw things away that arent going to be used (or recyle if you can). I found most of my paints had dried up and so I manage to combine 2 boxes to one!
Okay, I've just realised this is actually a really dull blog post lol! But if you want to know more about creating your own co-ordinating storage boxes you can check out craftzine's blog about it which might be more interesting ;)
How-to: Co-ordinating Organisation boxes
So to help combat this and to be fair, to also help with the actual moving, I have bought some storage boxes. Places like Ikea and Wilkinsons do some great cheap ones but I got some of mine from Dunelm. I chose to get nice co-ordinating ones and stuffed them full of my sewing gear which was prior to this, in plastic bags in one corner of the room.
I already had some storage boxes for my paints - plastic ones as sometimes the lids come off the paints and make a real mess.
Tip: have a sort out of your storage boxes every few months. Throw things away that arent going to be used (or recyle if you can). I found most of my paints had dried up and so I manage to combine 2 boxes to one!
Okay, I've just realised this is actually a really dull blog post lol! But if you want to know more about creating your own co-ordinating storage boxes you can check out craftzine's blog about it which might be more interesting ;)
How-to: Co-ordinating Organisation boxes
Thursday, 31 December 2009
Happy New Year
I'd just like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and I shall be back with more useful hints and tips in 2010!
Friday, 18 December 2009
Selling in retail outlets
Okay, so some people want to sell there items in a shop rather than online - or even as well as! but they don't want the outlay/ time investment of opening their own shop.
Why not try selling your wares in a local retail outlet?
Firstly, do your research. Find the perfect shop in regard to where your product will sell best. There's no hard fast rule however, some places you wouldnt think, sell handmade items on the side - for a cut of the profit of course.
Most gallery like shops charge around 40% commission, however, you can build this into your costs- hopefully without setting unrealistic prices (think what you would pay or ask family/ friends what they would pay) or perhaps consider negotiating a commission fee- they can only say no.
You find the perfect shop what next? Go in and ask! take an example or photos of your work (examples are best) and see what they say. Don't be disheartened if they say no, either suggest a trial run, find out why they say no and see if you can work around it or move on to the next place.
Have confidence in your work as you wont be able to sell it if you dont believe in it!
Once it's in the shop, think about packaging. You may want to make/supply your own packaging to the outlet. This will help it look more professional and is free marketing - you want them to remember your business name as well as the shops name. If you decide to do this can you cover the nominal costs or do you need to add it into the price?
Keep rotating your stock with the shop to keep it looking fresh and/or to replenish sold items (fingers crossed)-I dont mean take new stuff in daily but certainly bi-weekly for a high turn over shop or monthly for a smaller establishment.
Don't forget to keep tabs on both your stock and your fees from the outlet. Cross check whats going in with whats coming back, keep records of the prices they're selling at and a tally of what you're owed.
Some outlets what exclusivity so you may not be able to sell in other nearby shops but you can in another town! If you have the stock, sell in as many outlets as you can.
Lastly but not least, this is not the easy option. You still have to put some effort in - paperwork/keeping records, keeping good relations with the shop, making and replenishing stock, perhaps a little self marketing.....but other than than, let the pennies roll in.........(hopefully)
Why not try selling your wares in a local retail outlet?
Firstly, do your research. Find the perfect shop in regard to where your product will sell best. There's no hard fast rule however, some places you wouldnt think, sell handmade items on the side - for a cut of the profit of course.
Most gallery like shops charge around 40% commission, however, you can build this into your costs- hopefully without setting unrealistic prices (think what you would pay or ask family/ friends what they would pay) or perhaps consider negotiating a commission fee- they can only say no.
You find the perfect shop what next? Go in and ask! take an example or photos of your work (examples are best) and see what they say. Don't be disheartened if they say no, either suggest a trial run, find out why they say no and see if you can work around it or move on to the next place.
Have confidence in your work as you wont be able to sell it if you dont believe in it!
Once it's in the shop, think about packaging. You may want to make/supply your own packaging to the outlet. This will help it look more professional and is free marketing - you want them to remember your business name as well as the shops name. If you decide to do this can you cover the nominal costs or do you need to add it into the price?
Keep rotating your stock with the shop to keep it looking fresh and/or to replenish sold items (fingers crossed)-I dont mean take new stuff in daily but certainly bi-weekly for a high turn over shop or monthly for a smaller establishment.
Don't forget to keep tabs on both your stock and your fees from the outlet. Cross check whats going in with whats coming back, keep records of the prices they're selling at and a tally of what you're owed.
Some outlets what exclusivity so you may not be able to sell in other nearby shops but you can in another town! If you have the stock, sell in as many outlets as you can.
Lastly but not least, this is not the easy option. You still have to put some effort in - paperwork/keeping records, keeping good relations with the shop, making and replenishing stock, perhaps a little self marketing.....but other than than, let the pennies roll in.........(hopefully)
Sunday, 13 December 2009
networking
Not been on here for a while having been caught up with the usual festive cheer and what not.
Anyway, whilst networking the other day I was told about this service http://www.mmucfe.co.uk/
It's a service to help young entrepreneurs start up. The lady I was talking to about it had been a part of the course/ scolarship where they help you learn about business, what you'll need etc and also provide funding at the end. I will certainly be looking into it when I'm ready to make that leap.
In the interim, why not check it out yourself if you're an entrprising entrepreneur!
Networking is a great way to get tips and advice from people who've done what you're trying to do. You dont have to give away all your trade secrets but I find it's just nice to talk to someone who knows about what you're trying to achieve - as they've done it or are doing it themselves.
They will tell you about places to go for help and funding, can recommend suppliers or even become your supplier! Once those relationships are made it might be that you can help each other in the future. Dont think that just because they're in a similar field that they are competition.
Networking can be as simple as joining an online forum or joining a business link near you. They regularly hold networking events. Or it could just be a day out introducing yourself to local businesses in your trading area.
There's an interesting article about networking here:
Anyway, whilst networking the other day I was told about this service http://www.mmucfe.co.uk/
It's a service to help young entrepreneurs start up. The lady I was talking to about it had been a part of the course/ scolarship where they help you learn about business, what you'll need etc and also provide funding at the end. I will certainly be looking into it when I'm ready to make that leap.
In the interim, why not check it out yourself if you're an entrprising entrepreneur!
Networking is a great way to get tips and advice from people who've done what you're trying to do. You dont have to give away all your trade secrets but I find it's just nice to talk to someone who knows about what you're trying to achieve - as they've done it or are doing it themselves.
They will tell you about places to go for help and funding, can recommend suppliers or even become your supplier! Once those relationships are made it might be that you can help each other in the future. Dont think that just because they're in a similar field that they are competition.
Networking can be as simple as joining an online forum or joining a business link near you. They regularly hold networking events. Or it could just be a day out introducing yourself to local businesses in your trading area.
There's an interesting article about networking here:
Saturday, 14 November 2009
Motivation and time management
I recently had the discussion of how to stay motivated when you're self employed with my forum-pals and these are the handy hints everyone came up with!
If anyone has any other hints and tips, please do share it by leaving a comment!
- firstly, if you have some orders to fulfil, get them done! State the obvious, you say but there's nothing like leaving them to the last minute to cause a mad panic and mistakes can be made when you're rushing!
- Write a task list/ to do list - daily or weekly or both! I think this is an invaluable tip as sometimes you know you have a long list in your mind but if you write it down it is a lot less scary and you wont forget anything!
- have a few projects on the go so if you get bored doing one thing you can move to the another for a while. This includes paper work. How dull is it to spend a whole day doing paperwork! spread it out if you can by doing a bit everyday.
- If you're really feeling in a slump why not take a look back at projects you've done in the past and see how fantastic/successful you have been! If you receive great feedback from customers why not keep them in a folder so you can easily find them and read them again.
- keep a routine - structure your day like work, have a lunch break at a set time etc and don't put the tv on as it's very distracting!
- work in small blocks, a couple of hours and then have a treat - you can even make it business orientated - like having a chat to likeminded people on a forum.
- business projections are a great motivation as long as they're realistic. If you set yourself a target to turn over a million in a year but you only make £500 you're going to be a little deflated. Under estimate and you'll be over the moon when you exceed it!
- Like the best dieticians say - eat when you feel hungry. In a crafting world - craft when you feel the need. Some days you just might not be in the creative mood and new ideas are simply blocked. Why not spend that time catching up on the paperwork, supply ordering etc.
- Following from above, however, someone suggested creating something new at least daily which to me makes sense even if the next day you hate what you did and have to redo it :S
- project management software. I've yet to find a decent open source one (message me if you know of one) but if you have the money to invest in some and think you will find it useful do it!
If anyone has any other hints and tips, please do share it by leaving a comment!
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